Brian Olson’s mind is always at work.
Olson is a retired inventor, and he can’t look at how a product works without asking himself ‘why is it like that?’
That’s part of the reason he created the ‘Angel Wings.’
“Coming up to an accident scene at night and seeing all the bright lights, I wondered why is the light shining into the traffic’s eyes and not showing where the people are,” said Olson.
The Angel Wings are designed to eliminate that hazard. It provides an amber light to alert traffic of the danger, and also a white light that shines down on the person(s), adding an extra layer of protection for them.
One of the main inspirations for Olson’s invention was a near-death experience in 1982, when his Semi broke down on the side of the highway.
“By the time we got my tractor pulled away and another one in, it was getting dark. I was hooking up air hoses, the truck was running, I stepped out between the tractor and trailer and a black half-ton Chevy missed me by about a foot. I felt the whoosh,” Olson said.
That near-fatal night 40 years ago really hit home for Olson, who has collaborated with Baillie Boys Towing Inc. in Yorkton to help get the Angel Wings up and running.
Olson says he feels a sense of pride, knowing that his invention will provide a safer experience for people.
“It’s pretty rewarding what you are trying to do, when you know the result of your business is going to save some injuries and accidents, even deaths perhaps, it’s very rewarding,” said Olson.
The product is currently still in its pre-production phase, but Olson expects the Angel Wings to be out for production around March 1.